24 - Can I Cry Now?
Episode 24
Deep beneath the Imperial Palace.
Few people came and went, and as it was already evening, there was no one passing by anymore.
However, the guards standing in front of the large iron gate deep inside remained vigilant.
Their attitude alone revealed the truth.
That something very precious was kept beyond this gate.
What they guarded was a Magic Stone.
As the name suggests, a Magic Stone is a stone containing magical power.
With a Magic Stone, wizards could use larger and more powerful magic.
Also, depending on the type, it allowed them to use magic they had not learned.
Therefore, after the war, most Magic Stones with strong power were recovered and stored deep within the Imperial Palace.
Naturally, no one could enter this place without the Emperor's permission.
Moreover, because of a Magic Stone that an Imperial wizard had buried deep underground a long time ago, ordinary wizards could not use magic here.
So, in fact, stealing the Magic Stone here was nearly impossible.
Even so, they couldn't afford to be careless with security.
Among the Magic Stones inside, there were some with great power that had claimed thousands of lives at once during the war.
Therefore, the guards watched over this place as if there were monsters that could awaken and move at any moment.
It seemed that another day would quietly end like this.
But then, the entrance became noisy, and soon a group of people appeared.
"Who... Your Majesty!"
The captain of the underground guard, who was about to take a defensive stance, recognized Clois standing at the front and hurriedly saluted.
The guards standing behind him were also surprised and quickly saluted.
They were bewildered. Although the Magic Stone was very precious, the Emperor had never come here in person before.
"What brings you here in person..."
The guard captain's expression hardened, wondering if something had gone wrong.
More than seven years had passed since the end of the war.
Although the Empire had regained stability in the meantime, remnants of the enemy were still alive and active in distant places.
Could they have caused some trouble? Could they be attacking the Imperial Palace...?
The guard captain's expression was becoming more and more fearsome.
"Please open the door. Quickly. Huff, huff."
A woman who revealed herself from behind the Emperor urged the guard captain.
"Oh... This person is..."
"This is Seraphina Lidom, the head of the Academy for the Gifted. I have authorized her entry to the Magic Stone storage, so open the door quickly."
"Seraphina Lidom..."
The guard captain's body stiffened even more with tension.
Although young, she was a genius who had never lost the top spot from the Academy for the Gifted to graduation from the Capital Academy.
Also, the most powerful wizard alive, and the Emperor's closest aide.
After the succession war, she didn't stay in one place and wandered around the Empire.
People said that she was tracking down the remnants of the enemy under the Emperor's orders, or that the Emperor, fearing her power, had driven her out.
But suddenly, she appeared with the Emperor and came to the Magic Stone storage with him.
"Has something happened?"
The guard captain looked up and asked in a determined voice.
Even though he didn't think it was possible, if a rebellion had occurred within the Imperial Palace, he had to protect the Emperor no matter what.
In response to his question, Clois answered in a serious voice.
"A child has disappeared."
"...Yes?"
The guard captain doubted his ears for a moment.
A child has disappeared?
"So we need to use Tracking Magic urgently. The range is wide, and it needs to surpass the nullification magic on the Imperial Palace itself, so we need a Magic Stone. So open it quickly."
"Yes, sir! Understood!"
He was flustered, but he had to carry out the order first.
The guard captain and the guards approached the iron gate, grabbed the handles, and began to pull with all their might.
Creak.
The heavy iron gate slowly opened, revealing the inside of the storage.
Seeing them, Seraphina couldn't hide her grinning lips.
Normally, it would take a very complicated and lengthy procedure.
No, her request for a loan would have been more likely to be rejected.
But today, thanks to the Emperor's presence, she was able to enter the Magic Stone warehouse right away.
As the door fully opened, the numerous Magic Stones stored inside were revealed.
"As expected of the Imperial family's Magic Stones... Amazing..."
The guard captain and the guards, with faces as if they were about to drool, stealthily took a step back.
"Find the Magic Stone you want quickly."
"Yes!"
Worried that Clois might change his mind, Seraphina busily walked among the Magic Stones.
'I thought he would just mobilize the guards.'
That would take a little longer, but she could handle things quietly.
Besides, even if it was about a missing child, the security of the Imperial Palace would generally take precedence.
But upon hearing the name of the missing child, Clois became so flustered that Seraphina was taken aback, and immediately authorized the use of the Magic Stone.
'Anyway, let's find the child first.'
As an excellent wizard, she placed her hand on each Magic Stone, searching for one that resonated with her and had strong power.
While Seraphina was searching for a Magic Stone, Clois was also looking around the storage.
Just because it was the Imperial Palace's storage didn't mean that only strong Magic Stones were stored there.
Magic Stones that had been used for decoration were also here now.
Most of them had lost their power or had only very weak power.
Then Clois's gaze stopped on a Magic Stone that was smoothly processed like a glass ball.
"This is..."
It wasn't a Magic Stone with great power. It was just a Magic Stone that emitted a faint light.
'This was still here.'
He picked up the Magic Stone with a nostalgic look.
It was a round Magic Stone about the size of two adult fists.
It wasn't a Magic Stone with great power. It was just a Magic Stone that emitted a faint light.
There was only one reason he remembered this.
"Isn't this cute?"
It was a Magic Stone that Lilian had shown him a long time ago, saying she had obtained a useful Magic Stone.
It wasn't exactly a memento.
In fact, Lilian didn't use it often either.
"Well, it's a Magic Stone, so it's precious, and I can't just use it recklessly. I'll just use a lamp. I think this would be better for younger children to use."
"Okay, then we should give this to our child when they are born."
Lilian shook her head with a smile as if she couldn't help it at his answer.
After saying that, she asked him to keep it for her, saying that she would definitely leave it and forget about it.
'So it was here.'
Clois touched it with his hand.
As if recognizing the touch of a person, a subtle light flowed out from within the Magic Stone.
But that was all.
A Magic Stone that lit up and disappeared again according to the touch of a person.
While he was quietly looking at the Magic Stone emitting light, Seraphina shouted.
"I found it! It resonates well with me, and this should be enough to cast Tracking Magic on the entire Imperial Palace!"
At those words, Clois turned his gaze away from the Magic Stone he was looking at.
Seraphina was groaning and carrying the Magic Stone out from the inside.
"Give it here."
Clois, unable to watch any longer, reached out and took the Magic Stone from her.
He lightly lifted what Seraphina had been carrying with both hands with a groan with one hand.
At that sight, Seraphina recalled that he was once a knight stronger than anyone else on the battlefield, even though he was now staying only in the Imperial Palace.
As Clois came out with the Magic Stone, the guards standing outside hurriedly said they would carry it, but he waved his other hand as if to say it was okay.
"Let's hurry."
Then he went straight up.
Seraphina hurriedly followed him.
Clois, who had gone upstairs, ordered the guards to prevent anyone else from approaching, and then headed to the back garden with Seraphina.
There was no one in the back garden of the Imperial Palace at this late hour.
He placed the Magic Stone on the ground and looked at Seraphina.
"This should be enough. Start quickly."
Seraphina nodded.
She didn't know why Clois was so actively involved in finding a single child, but it wasn't a bad thing.
'Above all, it's hard to get a chance to use such a huge magic openly in the Imperial Palace.'
Seraphina approached the Magic Stone. Then she said to Clois.
"I hope we can succeed in one go."
"What do you mean?"
"As you know, there are many obstacles inside the Imperial Palace, so the flow of magic is often interrupted."
Then Seraphina muttered to herself without realizing it.
"It would be easier to find if Lilian helped me like before."
